A quick change end effector system for use with a robot includes: a quick change end effector configured for application to a task to be completed by a robot, the quick change end effector further comprising an end effector magnet; and a robotic manipulator configured to lock to the end effector, the robotic manipulator further configured to use the end effector to complete the task, the robotic manipulator comprising a manipulator magnet, the manipulator magnet being configured to magnetically attract the end effector magnet, thereby locking the manipulator in a mechanically strong connection to the quick change end effector, wherein upon disengagement of the magnetic attraction locking the manipulator to the quick change end effector, the quick change end effector can be quickly removed from the manipulator.

A method of inductively coupling a first body and a second body is provided, wherein the first body rotates relative to the second body. During rotation, alignment is maintained between a first and second coil. Signals are sent and received between the coils.

An apparatus for labeling support structures includes: a chassis having a locomotive assembly; an effector assembly having a first end coupled to the chassis and a second end movable relative to the chassis; a label modification unit at the second end of the effector assembly, the label modification unit including an image sensor; and a controller coupled to the locomotive assembly, the effector assembly and the label modification unit, the controller configured to: obtain label modification data defining a location of a low powered display relative to a reference feature on a support structure for modifying content displayed by the display; control the locomotive assembly to travel to the support structure; detect the reference feature via image data captured at the image sensor; control the effector assembly to place the label modification unit at the location; and control the effector assembly and the label modification unit to modify the content.

A wireless power feeding unit includes a power transmitting module and a power receiving module. The power transmitting module includes: a first inverter circuit which is connected to a power source via a switch; a first transmission coil connected to the first inverter circuit; a second inverter circuit which is connected to the power source or another power source not via the switch; a second transmission coil which is connected to the second inverter circuit; and a power transmission control circuit which controls the first and second inverter circuits. The power receiving module includes a first reception coil opposed to the first transmission coil and a second reception coil opposed to the second transmission coil. During operation of the first and second inverter circuits, even while supply of power to the first inverter circuit is stopped, the power transmission control circuit maintains control of the second inverter circuit.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting a to-be-transmitted target that is electric power and/or information, has a first unit and a second unit removably attached from the outside of a first object and a second object, respectively. The first unit includes a first transmission/reception part for wirelessly transmitting the to-be-transmitted target; and a first housing to which a first connector part for transmitting the to-be-transmitted target to/from the first object by being attached to the first object is fixed. The second unit includes a second transmission/reception part for wirelessly transmitting the to-be-transmitted target to/from the first transmission/reception part; and a second housing to which a second connector part for transmitting the to-be-transmitted target to/from the second object by being attached to the second object is fixed. The first and the second transmission/reception parts are spaced apart from and faced to each other so as to wirelessly transmit the to-be-transmitted target.

A gantry loader having at least one carriage travelable at a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system, wherein the carriage has at least one drive. The present energy is characterized in that the carriage has an energy store for the at least partial energy supply of the drive.

The disclosure relates to a coating device for coating components with a coating agent (e.g. paint), having a protected area which is explosion-proof and/or is under high voltage during operation and an unprotected area in which no explosive atmosphere prevails during normal operation. A plurality of sensors that measure process variables of the coating device are included with the sensors being arranged in the protected area. A data interface for external data communication, the data interface being arranged in the unprotected area is also included. A transmission system transmits data between the sensors in the protected area on the one hand and the data interface in the unprotected area. The disclosure additionally provides a collecting device in the protected area, the collecting device on the one hand being connected to the sensors and receiving measured values of the process variables from the sensors, and on the other hand being connected to the transmission system in order to transmit the measured values of the sensors to the data interface.

In a robot (1) for gripping and/or holding objects (2), in particular workpieces, tools or carrier parts, the robot comprising: at least one robot arm (3, 4, 5) which is supported on a support frame (19) and is movable in space in at least one translational and/or rotational degree of freedom, a gripping and/or holding device (6), on which the respective object (2) is supported in a positionally oriented manner and/or held in a rotational arrangement, at least one electric motor (9) provided in the gripping and/or holding device (6), by means of which a torque and/or a clamping force is generated which acts on the object (2), and a drive shaft (24) mounted in the robot arm (5), which is coupled in a driving manner to the gripping and/or holding device (6), preferably in such a way that the gripping and/or holding device (6) rotates about its own longitudinal axis (6),
the gripping and/or holding device (6) arranged at the free end of the robot arm (5) should be freely movable in space, so that rotation about its own longitudinal axis (6) can be carried out as often and as quickly as desired. This is achieved in that an interface (31) is provided between a free end (10) of the robot arm (5) at the end and the gripping and/or holding device (6), which interface (31) is bridged by a coupler (25) fixed in a non-rotating arrangement to the robot arm (5) and by a flange (11) adapted thereto, which flange (11) is connected in a non-rotating arrangement to the gripping and/or holding device (6) and the drive shaft (24), in that a first inductively operated transceiver (12) is provided in the coupler (25), which transceiver (12) is connected to a power source (15) via an electrical line (14) fed to the robot arm (5), in that a second inductively operated transceiver (13) is provided in the flange (11), which is connected to the electric motor (9) in the gripping and/or holding device (6) via electrical lines (14), and in that an air gap (21) is provided between the coupler (25) and the flange (11) as a component of the interface (31).

An apparatus including a first base plate, where the first base plate is configured to have at least one linear drive component and/or at least one power coupling component connected to a top side of the first base plate, where the first base plate is configured to be located inside a vacuum chamber; and a plurality of rails or transport guides on the top side of the first base plate. An end of the first base plate includes at least one alignment feature configured to align an end of the first base plate to an end of a second base plate. The first base plate is configured to provide, in combination with the second base plate, a structural platform inside the vacuum chamber for a robot drive to move in the vacuum chamber along the plurality of transport guides.

The disclosure relates to a coating device (e.g. painting robot) for coating components (e.g. motor vehicle body components) with at least one electrical consumer which requires electrical energy for operation. The disclosure provides a transmission system for wireless transmission of the electrical energy required for operation of the at least one consumer to the consumer and/or for transmission of data from and/or to the at least one consumer.